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Mel Gibson, the sixth child of 11, was born in New York in 1956. His father worked on the railways but the threat of the Vietnam draft persuaded the family to move to Sydney. Raised in a strong Catholic family (Gibson's middle name is Columcille, which means "dove of the church"), Gibson initially wanted to be a journalist, but his sister submitted an application in his name to the National Institute of Dramatic Arts. After graduation he featured in a couple of small films before a bar-room brawl sent him on his way to stardom. With his face covered in stitches and bruises he auditioned for the post-apocalyptic action film Mad Max and walked off with the role. Since then he has won Best Picture and Director for his self financed epic Braveheart.
